According to a report by Russia's RT on November 13, a series of so-called anti-drug military operations conducted by the United States in the Caribbean Sea have sunk multiple vessels, sparking significant controversy.

The current situation is that the UK has suspended intelligence sharing with the US in the region, fearing being drawn into war. The EU has also spoken out in criticism.

EU's anti-China foreign minister, Kalas, stated that the US actions of sinking suspected drug vessels in the Caribbean and Pacific regions can only be considered legal if justified as "self-defense" or authorized by the UN Security Council; otherwise, they cannot be supported by international law.

In response, US Secretary of State Rubio publicly rebuked the EU, saying: "I don't think the EU has the right to decide what international law is. They certainly have no right to decide how the US defends its national security."

The absurdity of the entire matter lies in the fact that the US is the US, and the EU is the EU.

The US actions are indeed seriously illegal, and the EU's counterattack is also clearly filled with a teacher's attitude, directly bringing up "values".

Kalas

The US' actions against Venezuela this time are a typical case of illegality.

The US unilaterally claims these ships are transport vehicles for drug organizations and must be sunk on the spot. However, neither international law, maritime law, nor the Security Council's authorization mechanism provides the US with the legitimacy to use force across borders.

The US cannot prove these vessels pose an immediate armed threat, thus it cannot invoke self-defense, and no regional organization or country has requested the US to intervene.

The US is essentially conducting military strikes under the guise of judicial enforcement. The US has even removed the symbolic veil of pretense, adopting an attitude of "I'm doing it, what are you going to do about it?"

The EU's criticism of the US may appear to be "upholding justice," but it is not. It did not condemn the US; its real purpose was to tell the US that it would not cooperate with the US in taking action.

Just like the UK's withdrawal from intelligence sharing does not mean it is noble, but rather to avoid getting blood on itself.

Essentially, it's still about wanting to stand on a moral high ground, trying to make the world see that it is unwilling to collude with the US this time, and has already drawn a clear line beforehand.

Therefore, Rubio's response directly pointed out the hypocrisy of the EU, saying: "The European governments that criticize Washington's actions still hope that the US will provide, for example, nuclear-capable Tomahawk cruise missiles to defend Europe."

Rubio

The true absurdity of this US-EU clash lies in the fact that neither side is more just than the other, yet both pretend to represent justice.

The US logic is naked hegemony - don't talk to me about rules, my own is the rule. I haven't asked you to join me in attacking Venezuela, so what's it to you?

The EU logic is that it can't stop you, but it must take on the posture of a teacher, letting the world know that it is still the "guardian of civil order".

This contradiction is an inevitable slide caused by long-term power imbalance within the West: one clinging to a declining hegemony, the other relying solely on words to maintain so-called values.

At their core, this is not a conflict of values, but two forces in decline fighting over lost influence.

US and EU

To put it plainly, this is a typical case of "dog bites dog." The US is becoming more hysterical and less restrained. It used to at least pretend to follow the rules in its narrative, but now it doesn't even bother with the facade.

The EU, meanwhile, is trapped in a cage of moral superiority while losing actual influence. The weaker it becomes, the more it needs to preach, and the more powerless it feels, the more it wants to shape its motherly image.

When both sides accuse each other of being more hypocritical, more illegal, and more destructive of order, the real issue is that they are all trying to justify their former power structures, but the more they argue, the more it proves that the West has completely declined.

Original: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7572433267001950758/

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